Freshwater Drum Fishing Guide

Other SpeciesDocumented in 102 graded lakes across 1 state

Freshwater Drum is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 102 lakes carry documentation. Freshwater Drum is moderately distributed — 102 lakes in Minnesota. Some counties have it, others do not, so checking the per-lake pages matters.

Rough-fish-dominant lakes are worth checking the grade on: a rough-fish-heavy fishery often reflects an underlying nutrient-loading problem in the watershed. Cross-reference the Freshwater Drum lake list below against the letter grades: lakes with both an A or B grade and Freshwater Drum documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

102

Total Lakes

102

Minnesota lakes →

Avg. Grade

30 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of Freshwater Drum Lakes

11%

20%

43%

Best Freshwater Drum Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with freshwater drum ranked by overall water quality grade.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Pelican Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	55 ft	20
2	Chippewa Lake	Douglas	MN	A	95 ft	19
3	Lida Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	58 ft	20
4	Florida Lake	Kandiyohi	MN	A	40 ft	18
5	Eagle Lake	Kandiyohi	MN	A	67 ft	17
6	Lizzie Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	66 ft	21
7	Andrew Lake	Douglas	MN	A	83 ft	18
8	Minnewaska Lake	Pope	MN	A	32 ft	21
9	Lake St Croix	Pierce	MN	B	78 ft	36
10	Medicine Lake	Beltrami	MN	B	44 ft	12
11	Pool	Washington	MN	B	78 ft	36
12	Maple Lake	Polk	MN	C	14 ft	12
13	Little Pine Lake	Otter Tail	MN	C	63 ft	20
14	Big Pine Lake	Otter Tail	MN	C	76 ft	20
15	Upper Red Lake: West-Central	Beltrami	MN	C	15 ft	15
16	Blackduck Lake	Beltrami	MN	C	28 ft	16
17	Waconia Lake	Carver	MN	C	37 ft	16
18	Pool of Lake St Croix	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
19	Upper Red Lake: East Central	Beltrami	MN	C	15 ft	15
20	Games Lake	Kandiyohi	MN	C	42 ft	15
21	Roemhildts Lake	Le Sueur	MN	C	60 ft	13
22	Upper Estuary Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	55 ft	33
23	Pelican Lake	Pope	MN	D	34 ft	18
24	Round Lake	Jackson	MN	D	9 ft	17
25	Long Lake	Watonwan	MN	D	13 ft	13
26	Ballantyne Lake	Blue Earth	MN	D	58 ft	16
27	Zumbro Lake	Olmsted	MN	D	43 ft	24
28	Volney Lake	Le Sueur	MN	D	67 ft	12
29	Emily Lake	Pope	MN	D	6 ft	26
30	Foot Lake	Kandiyohi	MN	D	24 ft	15
31	Upper Red Lake: East	Beltrami	MN	D	15 ft	15
32	South Long Lake	Ramsey	MN	D	30 ft	12
33	Willmar Lake	Kandiyohi	MN	D	14 ft	18
34	Wood Lake	Yellow Medicine	MN	D	9 ft	11
35	Upper Red Lake: West	Beltrami	MN	D	15 ft	15
36	Upper Red Lake: Central	Beltrami	MN	D	15 ft	15
37	Frances Lake	Le Sueur	MN	D	60 ft	16
38	Little Spirit Lake	Jackson	MN	D	8 ft	23
39	Madison Lake	Blue Earth	MN	D	59 ft	20
40	Okabena Lake	Nobles	MN	D	16 ft	18
41	Kansas Lake	Watonwan	MN	D	7 ft	14
42	High Island Lake	Sibley	MN	D	6.5 ft	11
43	Mud Lake	Martin	MN	F	19 ft	17
44	Tetonka Lake	Le Sueur	MN	F	35 ft	19
45	Clear Lake	Jackson	MN	F	9 ft	15
46	Clear Lake	Le Sueur	MN	F	18 ft	11
47	Washington Lake	Le Sueur	MN	F	51 ft	18
48	Norway Lake	Kandiyohi	MN	F	42 ft	15
49	Roberds Lake	Rice	MN	F	43 ft	18
50	Cedar Lake	Rice	MN	F	42 ft	18

Showing top 50 of 102 lakes with freshwater drum.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have freshwater drum?

Freshwater Drum are found in 102 graded lakes: 102 in Minnesota. The average water quality grade of lakes with freshwater drum is D (Nutrient-rich).

What are the best lakes for freshwater drum?

The best freshwater drum lakes by water quality are Pelican Lake, Chippewa Lake, Lida Lake, Florida Lake, Eagle Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where freshwater drum have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with freshwater drum?

Freshwater Drum are most commonly found alongside freshwater drum, black crappie, yellow perch, walleye, northern pike. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Other Fish Species in Freshwater Drum Lakes

Black Crappie Lakes

Found together in 101 lakes · 1,428 total

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 99 lakes · 1,631 total

Walleye Lakes

Found together in 97 lakes · 1,982 total

Northern Pike Lakes

Found together in 96 lakes · 2,487 total

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 95 lakes · 1,601 total

Common Carp Lakes

Found together in 94 lakes · 506 total

Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality grades from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys. Species profiles are general reference; always check current state regulations before fishing.